Under the motto “Self-determined Living” REHACARE 2023 from 13 to 16 September 2023 will be all about “Inclusion and Digitalisation”. The event will provide this unique community – comprising persons with disabilities, their families, carers and enterprises – with an international platform to network intensively with experts and like-minded people, make new contacts and learn about the latest developments and trends. The trade fair will present the complete array of solutions required for self-determined living, ranging from digital and analogue mobility solutions and assistive devices to care and therapy options, not forgetting inclusive sports and leisure activities.
“This year the focal theme of the trade fair will be people with disabilities at work and/or their integration in professional life – this is one of our key themes that always meets with plenty of interest and makes waves,” explains Hannes Niemann who goes on to say: “Centrestage in Hall 6 will be very concrete solutions that flag up what needs to be done to accomplish integration into working life despite impairments, and how workplaces can be re-designed. A whole host of people will be on hand for ideas and discussions. This year’s partners include the state of North Rhine Westphalia, Landschaftsverband Rheinland, the Federal Employment Agency and German Statutory Accident Insurance.”
Advancing digitalisation also plays a crucial role at REHACARE. Digitalisation unlocks new possibilities to compensate for many impairments by technical means, to regain skills and to improve care. Innovative solutions such as digital nursing assistance systems, telemedicine applications, nursing robots, smart care beds and many other innovative products provide enormous support and help us rise to the challenges of an ageing society.
Just how fundamentally and profoundly digital aids can ease the lives of people with disabilities will be shown by REHACARE together with the most relevant actor in the industry, DATEurope (European Association for the Digital Assistance Technology Industry) at a joint stand.
A series of topics will be especially devoted to digitalisation in care.
In this field REHACARE closely cooperates with the “Techniker-Krankenkasse NRW” sickness fund, which has promoted the implementation of digital solutions in care practice for years in a consulting, networking and financial capacity. This includes initiatives such as digital care planning systems, electronic documentation systems, telemedicine applications and mobile health Apps.
REHACARE’s own sports event in cooperation with the Disability Sports Club NRW (Behindertensportverein Nordrhein-Westphalen (BRSNW) already looks back on a long tradition. Visitors can get active across an entire sports hall. BRSNW offers various join-in activities and demonstrations for wheelchair users; in addition, guests can try out adaptive sports equipment and talk to experienced sportspeople and athletes. As highlights Hannes Niemann mentions climbing and skiing: “Last year, these features attracted long queues.” Other join-in disciplines include archery, table tennis and basketball. The German Sailing Federation will present inclusive sailing; though the hall will not be “flooded”, he admits, there will be a whole boat available for very realistic “dry-run” exercises.
REHACARE 2023 with exciting event trio: Cybathlon, Invictus Games and therapie Düsseldorf
At REHACARE, visitors will also have the opportunity to participate in the Cybathlon, the Invictus Games and “therapie Düsseldorf”, which will make for an unforgettable and impressive experience.
At the Swiss Cybathlon organised by ETH Zürich you can experience live the top performances already made possible by assistive technologies today. In these competitions disabled sportspeople compete with each other with assistive technology in various disciplines: paraplegics in wheelchairs, with exoskeletons, with arm or leg prothesis; and tetraplegics even compete by moving objects over a course using computer-brain interfaces.
The development teams and their pilots will demonstrate the latest devices and technical developments at the tournament before competing with them at the next regular Cybathlon 2024. Alongside this, there will be an exhibition on inclusive design, previously already showcased at Milan Design Week, explains the Co-Head of Cybathlon Anni Kern: “We have hands-on demos such as a brain-computer interface game for visitors to try out. Another highlight: the Invictus Games, an international sports event for physically and mentally handicapped, ill or injured soldiers, veterans, police and firefighters will be held in parallel with Rehacare at the neighbouring football arena Merkur Spiel-Arena. Teams from more than 20 countries in Europe, North and South America as well as Asia and the Middle East have registered for participation.
Participants can not only prove their skills in the wheelchair basketball, archery or rugby disciplines in sporting competitions; the Invictus Games also serve as a platform for rehabilitation and exchanging experiences. As side events various technical lectures will be delivered by experts.
Also running concurrently with REHACARE will be “therapie DÜSSELDORF”, a trade fair with congress for therapy and medical rehabilitation aimed at physio, occupational and sports therapists as well as masseurs and medical lifeguards in Western Germany.
For more information on REHACARE 2023, including the list of exhibitors and event programme, please visit the official website of the trade fair: https://www.rehacare.com
